Mar 15, 2018
I'm so excited to have my friend Liz Strom here today on the Pursue Your Spark Podcast. Liz is an author, life coach, a double organ transplant survivor, a speaker, a mom, a mentor, and she helps empower women to go from stuck and stressed, to free and able. That sounds right down my alley. Welcome to the show, Liz. I'm so pumped that you're here!
Liz Strom: Thank you.
Heike: Liz, can you tell us more about yourself.
Liz Strom: Yes, that's what I do. I take people from stuck and stressed, to free and able. A lot of it has to do with envisioning, planning, organizing, and reorganizing life. There's a lot that's happened in my own life that I decided I need to help other people get there.
Heike: You shared with me that you're the creator of EnVision and a forthcoming book called Led By The Unseen. How do they tie in with your company or your work at that point?
Liz Strom: Led By The Unseen is a book that I'm currently writing. The various chapters in that book talk about different things in life that help lead you forward that you can't necessarily see, and it could be something motivational, something spiritual. People that move you forward maybe that you have never met. People that move you forward that come in passing, as well as friends, teachers, leaders, coaches, whatever it is that you have in your life. The different ways in which you receive guidance and motivation is explained throughout the book using my life. That's Led By The Unseen.
EnVision is a program I use within my coaching, and Creative Calm Solutions, LLC is my company. The EnVision part of it is to put people "in" and "vision." In their vision, and it helps them to see what's possible in their life. We do a lot of visualization, and we take people to where they think their future should be, and we sit in the moment, and we talk about what it looks like, what it feels like, what it smells like, who they're with, all the different aspects. Then we decide, "Is it really what you wanted in life? Is this really what you're envisioning? Is this really what feels right to you?" If it's not, we tweak the vision a little bit, so it becomes more perfect if you will. There's no such thing as really perfect, but perfect for them at the moment. Then we work towards it. We create a plan so that they can have a feel better life along the way.
Heike: Do you mostly work with women, men, or both?
Liz Strom: I work with both, but most of my clients are women in their mid-30s and above, but I do have a lot of clients of all age ranges, from 17 to 82. A lot of people just feeling like they're feeling stuck and stressed, or they're not sure what their next steps are going to be.
For example, my 17-year-olds don't know what they want to do in college, or what field of studies to pick up, and I'll help them with that, or sometimes they just want to travel, and they're trying to decide which path to take. All the way to my beautiful 82-year-old clients who are trying to figure out what their next steps in life are after they've been through an entire career. Maybe not a career, but staying home with their children and their grandchildren, and feeling like there's something else they should be doing in life, and so we create sessions around that, figure out their next steps and what makes them feel better, and what they should be doing.
I also speak at corporate events, and I facilitate workshops for men and women within those companies to do some stress management work.
Heike: What did you do before you became the creator of Creative Calm Solutions?
Liz Strom: What didn't I do? I did a lot. I found myself in a lot of support roles. I was an executive assistant to different presidents of different companies, people who owned their businesses, which was fantastic for me because I got to learn the ropes kind of the hard way, figure out what works and what doesn't for them. I realized what I wanted to do, what I didn't want to do, watching their processes. I was also a senior sales manager for Hilton, so I was able to go and meet different people from all over the place. Getting to know people of all different backgrounds and upbringings opened up a lot of things in my mind, and I'm able to reconnect with those people now, which is exciting. A lot of it was being kind of the right hand to somebody else. Figuring out what I wanted to do with my own life, in that role.
Heike: Which brings me to how we met because she was also the operations instigator of the DC Salsa Meetup. Many, many years back, when Liz, and Mario, and Kathy started the Salsa Meetup Group, I joined the group with such amazing, fun people, dancing salsa all over the DC Metro area. Are you still doing that?
Liz Strom: I still am. I love it. I love to see people doing what moves them. You just see people smiling all over the place, learning something new, stepping out of their comfort zone, and there's such a mix of people on the dance floor. Besides the background work of accepting members, sending out messages, and coordinating events, which was fun, I got to be in the front hall, and anytime someone came in, I was the warm, happy face at the front of the door.
I would connect other people, and a lot of time I just met some great people like you at these meetups, and I kept in touch. I wanted to tie everyone together; whether it was at my house, events, potlucks, dinners to now this, we're coming together in this capacity. It's so amazing.
Heike: That is just so fantastic because I remember the days when I was still very active in salsa, which I've now moved into Argentine tango, but I'm still friends with the core group from maybe 10, 12 years ago. Then we meet again in renewed capacities of in business.
Liz Strom: Yeah, absolutely.
Heike: Now, during our time together, you met a man named Rolo. We all were super excited that you met somebody so special, so tell us about your lovely husband, and you've mentioned you have a daughter.
Liz Strom: Yes, I do. My daughter is 17. She's an amazing, creative soul, and right now she's in high school, so it's nice and quiet in the house. I can have a nice office meeting with you today.
My husband Rolo, his real name is Rolando. He is an amazing soul all on his own, and he's also into empowerment and motivation, and he supports me along my journey but has his own things going on, which I love. We both keep busy in positive ways, and when we join together, we kind of create this different force. He has a very different way of going on about life than I do, but it's kind of streamlined. He brings something else to the table that I'm not used to, and I love seeing, and he's just such an open, loving soul.
The funny thing is, I met him through a friend from DC Salsa Meetup named Lisha, and she used to be one of the organizers also, so a happy face at the door.
Heike: Great!
Liz Strom: She moved to San Francisco for the next phase in her life. She made friends there, and I went out to surprise her one year for her birthday, and there Rolo was, just sitting there talking to me. We were friends before anything else began, and then it moved quickly after that.
Heike: I remember when we first met him, everybody was, "What? How did she find this guy? They're perfect together."
Liz Strom: Admittedly, I was resistant to dating for a long time, especially in the salsa scene, because I was an organizer, and I kind of didn't want to get tied up in dating somebody. Maybe it wouldn't work out, and I didn't want to be that one that they did not want to see at events or whatever it was. I held back for a long time with that dating part of my life, and then when I met him, it was just all walls down. There was nothing to be worried about. He just made me feel at ease immediately, and he said I did the same for him. It was a great pairing of two whole people coming together, creating something else.
Heike: I think that came at the right time, because as I shared earlier, you're a double organ transplant survivor, and you're dealing with quite a few health challenges.
Liz Strom: Right.
Heike: Do you want to talk about that?
Liz Strom: Yeah, absolutely. It's part of my journey, and part of why I became a life coach. I have struggled with health issues all my life. I had type two diabetes since I was a child, so most of my growing up contained a lot of restrictions. No eating this, no eating that. Having to take blood tests four times a day at certain times, and insulin injections at certain times. From having low blood sugar reactions to having high blood sugars. Not understanding why, and then eventually understanding why. I was a kid, so I would just eat whatever I wanted to. To have a lot of challenges later in life. Not so much that I was out of control, but because diabetes is a small blood vessel disease that damages things along the way after so many years of having it.
When I met Rolando, he was saying he wanted to date. I was holding back in that aspect because I knew I was getting "sicker and sicker." He told me, "I'm with you because you're you, not because you're sick or you're healthy." I trusted him from that point on, and he was with me the day that I found out my kidney was dying.
Heike: I remember that. Yeah.
Liz Strom: Yeah. It was a tough time, but I had been through so much in life, and I knew I could get through that. I wasn't sure what it was going to look like, so I went through the process with Rolando. Thankfully I was put at the top of the list in my area for organ recipients, and I received a "brand new," kidney and pancreas almost five years ago. Here I am today. I have no diabetes, and I am alive. No dialysis, no problems with my kidneys right now. All my levels are wonderful and going through that process; I knew I had to do something bigger. I couldn't just get away with having these new organs, and not do something with my life. I always wanted to be the one that was known for helping others and developing plans, and my friends come to me for that. I thought, "I need to do this." I needed to train and get there to do what I needed to do, and that's what I'm doing now.
I train under Tony Robbins, and Chloe Madanes, Mark and Magali Peysha, as well as Marie Forleo, Danielle LaPorte, so many other beautiful leaders, and they, have opened my eyes to what's possible in that aspect of coaching. Here I am. I began my own coaching business. I help people with their careers, relationships, stress management, feeling better with whatever's going on currently, if they have health conditions or limitations. That's where my health has taken me. Through all that I've been through, I'm trying to lead other people through it also.
Heike: What is your most significant limitation at the moment physically?
Liz Strom: Physically, I have very low blood pressure. I don't go dancing for that reason, or I dance to really slow songs that make my soul light up. In that capacity, I still have to move and stay healthy, mainly because I have this second chance with the new organs. I do things like 5Rhythms dancing, which helps connect you with your body to figure out what you're feeling, and releasing of emotions, and also taking on the better, bigger ones. I do chair yoga. I do floor yoga, all sorts of things. Sometimes I do regular yoga holding onto a chair, and doing the best that I can.
Heike: I think that's so commendable, because you have such a challenge with all your organs and the dizziness, the sight, and all of this, that you are just not beaten down and give up. I am so crazy proud of you.
Liz Strom: Thank you.
Heike: My heart just sings when I see people who thrive despite all the crap they have to go through.
Liz Strom: Yeah. We all go through things, and nobody I know has had an easy life. I thought, "Well, I know people who have gone through way worse." For example, I've had periods of anemia where I have to go to the hospital, and I have to sit in an infusion clinic and get some iron. Of course, I was complaining at 6:45 AM, going to the hospital, sitting there for 20 minutes to get infusions. When I got there, I'm sitting with children that have leukemia, other sorts of cancers, sitting there for their entire day, and smiling. I said to myself, "You better stop complaining. Do something. Make them feel better. They're going through way worse things than you are." There's always somebody going through something different, bigger, whatever it is. You have to make sure you make it through, and if you've made it through, do something more significant with your life, and that's what I decided to take on and do.
Heike: Because you're also involved with some organizations that you support. Tell us more about it.
Liz Strom: Absolutely. The United Network of Organ Sharing, the National Kidney Foundation, and the American Diabetes Association. I don't know where I'd be if they hadn't published all the information they had online and done all of these charity fundraisers to be able to fund research and events for people going through things as I do. I thought, "I need to give back to those organizations who can make a greater impact nationally, internationally." I decided that through my coaching and my workshops, I give a percentage back to these different organizations. Sometimes it's directly to a patient group. Sometimes it's giving of materials that I have or any kind of services I have to offer. A lot of the times it's the small bit of monetary give back that I can give. I support organizations across the board. Those are the three that I mainly associate with and try to give back for.
This year, I'm doing something called The Goddess Workshop. We are funding clean water efforts. We would all not be here if we didn’t have clean water to drink, so this year we decided to start there. I wouldn't be able to, for sure, because with kidney disease, you need to continually drink water, stay hydrated, keep everything healthy. I went to the cellular level of it all and said, "Okay, what can I do on that aspect, to help other people and other children all around the world get cleaner water access?" This year's workshop is dedicated to that.
Heike: I'll put the links in the notes for the listeners so they can contact you or find out more about the clean water movement.
Liz Strom: Thank you.
Heike: That's so amazing. Speaking of clean water, what do you eat, Liz? How do you nourish your body? How careful do you have to be?
Liz Strom: The great thing about not having diabetes anymore is that I can eat whatever I want. That's including fruits, any time of the day that I want because as a child, you couldn't do that. Fruits have natural sugar that’s called fructose that raises blood sugar. I couldn't eat that. Now I can. Same thing with milk. If I wanted to put milk in my coffee, I can. Milk has lactose, a long-acting sugar. With kidney disease, for me personally, there are no restrictions. I'm a vegetarian, and the funny thing is, I eat lots and lots of vegetables, and I also eat seafood, milk, and cheese.
When I first had surgery, the surgeons told me, "Okay, you have to watch potassium. Don't eat high potassium foods." Of course, that took away everything I was typically used to eating. Spinach, asparagus, tomatoes, all these things. But I'm able to now. Everything is evened out, so I eat whatever I want, but I'm mainly a vegetarian. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, as well as baked goods. I don't restrict myself because that would feel just like I did when I was a child, very restricted.
Heike: Now, I have to say this, because I follow Liz also on Instagram, so you guys have to follow Liz on Instagram because you know then what she eats. She goes out and eats the most fabulous food, and you think, "Can she eat all this?" And I tell you, what we heard now is, yes you can. But I'm always amazed at your pictures.
Liz Strom: Yeah. Absolutely. You have to infuse your life with things that feel good, experiences that make you feel open and amazing. Literally, I would go on Instagram and put "fun places to eat NYC" as a hashtag and find all the different pictures. I would find somewhere and say, "That's where I want to go." Screenshot it, create a date out of it, and seek it out. This past weekend, for example, I found this beautiful tiny shop in Chinatown called Sweet Moments NYC, and they have the coolest cream art on top of your coffee or tea. There are little happy faces on it. Who couldn't smile? I fill my life with that, and I also teach my clients to do the same thing. You have to make it happen. Plug it into your calendar. Create these sort of trips. You don't want to have regrets later, and this is the way to do it. Live passionately. Seek out these things.
For me, it's traveling, finding these fun
little foods on Instagram, or maybe it's a whole meal at these
fabulous hotels that I stay in every once in a whole with my
husband and daughter. They're also enjoying it, and they're going
to live with no regrets or as few regrets as possible. This is the
fun I have in life, and yes, no restrictions. I can't admit to
eating the whole thing of pasta that you see; sometimes I portion
it out.
Heike: I just remember the little dumplings that you posted this weekend on Instagram. Guys, you have to see that. Oh my god. Makes you want to jump in and eat it.
Liz Strom: Yes, we went to a dim sum place in New York, and we were so excited. When they brought out the egg custard tarts, they were these little piggies, and you just couldn't help but smile.
Heike: That's so fun. That was my next question. What ignites your fire? What sparks your day? What recharges you?
Liz Strom: Food is one of them. Travel is another. People, I love people. I'm an extrovert primarily, with a lot of introverted tendencies. I like to do a lot of introspection and things, but I love people. I love sunshine. I infuse this into my life on a daily basis. I can tell you the first thing I think about is the cup of coffee I'm going to make, because that lights me up, and having little things plugged in through my day. Having conversations with people like you that are amazing, that lights me up. I love YouTube, so I'll go on there and find different people who are inspiring, listen to their stories, and it lights me up to do something more. Water; can't live without water.
Movement, music. I love dancing in my own way now, so I'll turn up the music and dance in between chores or cleaning.
Heike: Oh, you should come to my house, dance a little bit around my house.
Liz Strom: Well, I make my husband and my daughter dance with me too. I can't take all the credit for that, but I add it in. I just infuse it into my daily life. From the small things, from my coffee in the morning to great things, like going to conferences for people who move me, and taking that and using it with my clients, so many things in between.
Heike: I know that we both share a love for traveling because I always check where Liz has been, and then I see the pictures she had, and how she got there. So you just recently went Milan correct?
Liz Strom: Yes.
Heike: I said, "Wow, you went to Milan, just out of the blue?" And she says, "This lights me up. This recharges me. Traveling, seeing new things, eating different foods." Along your travels, you have some gorgeous pictures of you.
Liz Strom: Absolutely. We went to Milan, and this was on a whim. We found a great deal, so I just went with my BFF. We created some plans around it and other things we just did on a whim. People watching, different cafes. A lot of people think of Milan, Italy's experience to be buying expensive things. My Milan experience was, "Let's hire a photographer, take pictures of the big, beautiful Duomo in the background to remember the cathedral that we visited, and climb the steps all the way to the top."
Heike: Wow.
Liz Strom: Then we stood at the top, and looked over the entire city. We took a day trip to Switzerland, and we went up the Alps in a little red train, and just really enjoyed what we were doing.
Heike: I love it. You just sparked me up. When I look at your Instagram and your Facebook, you always make me smile. You make me think with thoughtful posts, and spark my imagination. That's why I'm so happy that we are in touch, that we are friends, that I can get some of your energy and pass some of my energy on to you. It's so, so important to be around people like that because we hear a lot of negativity from people - how stressed they are, any of their problems. But to stay on top of that, and overcome this negativity, this stress, the unhappiness, is a hurdle for us too. We're not just always like, "Yoo-hoo." Happy people. We have our ups and downs.
Heike: Tell us, what is your plan for the future? Where do you see yourself going with your company?
Liz Strom: You have to start with the small tidbits if you will. Right now, I'm trying to finish everything I can with Tony Robbins and Chloe Madanes. I knew right after all of these training sessions ended with Tony Robbins I had to do something else to move me, so I'm going to do yoga challenges, and I'm going to go to more events, and things that move me. Next year, I already have three significant events that I want to attend and go to, so I decided to plug that into my calendar already. Tickets are not available, but I know what day those open, and I can plan that.
Then in my business, through all the experiences that I've had under my belt, as well as what I'll learn going forward, I know I can make that explode. Right now, I know I'll be speaking to more companies, helping their employees to manage their stress. I can't tell them to reduce it, but I can help the management manage that to create more of a work-life balance. I know that I'll be traveling more doing that. There are many, many, many companies in the Washington, D.C. area, but I know that I have not to limit myself there, so I envision myself traveling more, doing these workshops, meeting new people. Also, volunteering my time, because I don't only want to give back being paid if you will. I also want to be there for people. For example, with those cancer patients in the infusion area, I want to be able to sit with them, play games, make them feel better, whatever they have the energy to do, and volunteer in that aspect, and just sit and be with friends and family.
I have these bigger plans, and then I have these smaller plans that I've plugged into my calendar, so there's a lot there.
Heike: Yeah. What would you say as a takeaway for our listeners, for all the active ladies who pursue their spark?
Liz Strom: Live passionately. That is one thing that strikes me today. I think every day I feel a little bit of this, "you have to live passionately" part. It can feel a little cliché because people don't know what to do with this "live passionately" thing in their lives. They want to, but they don't know how to do it. Plug it in. Find things that move you. Find events that move you.
Whatever it is, plug that in in your calendar, find out when tickets come out, go, and that will be the starting point in your journey. Along the way, you'll find things that light you up, and you'll meet people that move you, and you'll go on Instagram and find those little foods, and that's the way you live passionately. Plugging these things in that you want to do, with the people you want to do it with. Don't leave it to chance, because you'll say, "Yeah, I want to go to the Beyonce concert, and probably with my best friend. Back to work." And they don't plug it in, and it never happens.
Heike: Very true.
Liz Strom: Live passionately, plug it in, and along the way, all these beautiful things will just kind of erupt, and your heart will keep exploding in these amounts, and life will feel a lot better to you. Plug it in, live passionately.
Heike: Now, how can people who want to live passionately reach you?
Liz Strom: Absolutely. I'm all over social media. I love connecting with people, even online. My website is www.LizStrom.com. My Instagram and Facebook are both pages are @LizStromOfficial. If you don’t like talking over the phone you can email me, or we can do face-to-face, whatever you prefer, my email is Liz@Lizstrom.com.
Heike: I’ll, of course, post them all in the show notes, so don’t rush to get your pen and paper! I am so excited we made this happen after all this time. It just popped into my head that I wanted to share you with my audience.
Liz Strom: Thank you so much. I am so very grateful for you, for all you do in the world. For all that are listening and want to do something more with your life, plug it in, make it happen, and it will.
Heike: I love that.
Liz Strom: Thank you.
Heike: Yes. Thanks, and I'll see everybody else on the next Pursue Your Spark, and thank you again.
See you next time,
Heike
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